Destined {𝕄𝕀ℕ𝕊𝕌ℕ𝔾}

Chapter Sixteen

1854

Myungsoo descended out of the carriage, refusing Moonsoo's help indignantly as he turned towards the Crimson Castle. It cast a great shadow over them all, extending all the way to the end of the forest. He sucked in a deep breath and pulled off his hat, his eyes relishing in the break from the harsh sunlight. His skin still tingled, but it wasn't quite as bad as it had once been.

As soon as he walked through those doors... his fate would be sealed away. It couldn't be so horrible, he thought, though he could not make himself believe it. He'd only have to spend an eternity at the side of a man he did not quite love. At least, not yet.

Another man came to mind when he thought of love, but that was utterly ridiculous; he didn't even know that man's name, and he had seen him but once. Not that it mattered whether he knew his name or not anymore; he was to be Mated to the Vampire King soon.

"Isn't it beautiful, Master?" Moonsoo's eyes glittered in excitement, and the vampire's lips quirked up slightly, though he could not bring himself to smile fully.

"It is indeed." The pair was ushered into the Castle, and the interior was even more lavish than the exterior. Dark gold swirled and curled around the carefully, artfully placed stones, and, in typical gothic fashion, a black carpet of smooth velvet travelled the length of the greeting room, running under delicately crafted arches, all the way to the bottom of the grand staircase.

He could not stop his eyes from attending to every detail of the room, every dent – though there were hardly any at all –, every pattern and design... Footsteps marched and thumped loudly from the hallway at the top of the stairs, and soon enough, the man he was sent to marry appeared, followed by at least a dozen guards – not that he really needed them.

"His Royal Majesty, King Bang Chan!" a man cried from the top of the stairs, and all those present in the room below bowed. The King descended the steps, and the smile he wore seemed to take all those present in the room aback.

"Rise." Chan's voice was pleasant enough, though there was not a single trace of the cruel, powerful king he had heard of. The man he had been promised to approached, stopping no more than a foot away. "I have waited more than a thousand years for you, my love," he said softly, brushing his knuckle across Myungsoo's cheek.

The vampire couldn't help but tense slightly, though he was not sure if the king had noticed. Moonsoo shifted awkwardly at his side, eyes flitting about the room. King Chan's eyes slid towards him and narrowed. "What is a wizard doing in my castle?" Myungsoo's eyes widened at the hostility present in his tone, and he took a step forward.

"He is my steward, your Majesty. I meant no offence in bringing him." His heart thundered in his chest, but the dark, cruel look in Chan's eyes disappeared quickly.

"Very well, then, my love. Do not worry; you have not offended me. If you wish to have a wizard as a steward, then you shall." Myungsoo smiled tensely, hoping it came across as genuine. "Shall we go? I wish to show you my castle." Myungsoo nodded and took the arm Chan offered him.

"Moonsoo, bring my things to my chambers, if you please." Moonsoo bowed.

"As you wish, Master."

He did not want to leave his friend, his only friend, but it would've been improper if he had refused King Chan's request. What a king wanted, he got; it was better to do it willingly.

Myungsoo nodded along to what the King said as they toured around the castle. "This is my meeting room; I discuss with my council about certain issues, or I meet other leaders from other races or territories." It was a vast room, with a large table that nearly occupied the entirety of it, chairs shoved in around it.

"When we are Mated, you will be able to attend these meetings with me," he said, his voice lowering as he walked forward, hand settling on the back of a chair at the head of the table, stationed directly next to another. They were larger, more ornate than the rest. "We will sit here, as the Kings of our people."

"I look forward to it, my King."

Chan looked over at him and grinned. "You may call me Chan, darling. There is no need for such formalities." Myungsoo nodded and bowed his head. As they exited the room, Chan stopped. "Ah! What great timing, Jinsun."

Myungsoo looked up, and his eyes widened as they settled on the man he'd met only once; the man who still somehow managed to occupy his mind and plague his thoughts. The man bowed, and Myungsoo tore his eyes away.

"My love, this is Kim Jinsun, Lord of Werewolves and Alpha of the Sun pack. Jinsun, this is my future groom, Park Myungsoo." They bowed to one another, even though the man had already bowed.

"A pleasure to officially meet you, Highness." Chan's eyebrow quirked up and he looked between them.

"You have met before?" Myungsoo nodded in answer to his question, realizing it was up to him to answer when both of them turned to face him.

"I had accidentally stumbled into the path of a pack of young werewolves, your Majesty, and I do think I would have been trampled had Lord Jinsun not been there." He smiled sheepishly, and Chan shook his head with a quiet laugh.

"Werewolf children are indeed savage and crazed, unfortunately," Jinsun said, and Chan hummed.

"I am glad you know someone within my castle, my love. We must depart now, milord; we have business to attend to." Jinsun bowed to them again before he continued to walk down the hall. Myungsoo peered over his shoulder to look at him, but quickly returned to reality.

"Now I will show you the throne room."

~#~#~#~#~#~

The throne room was beautiful. Two tall thrones sat atop a stone dais, and, of course, they were also lined in black. Chan offered him his hand, which he took, and led him up the steps of the dais and onto the throne to the right.

Myungsoo felt awkward and out of place on that throne, and Chan sat beside him, slipping his hand into the other's, intertwining their fingers. "We will sit here and rule over our people, once we are Mated." He spoke softly, fondly, and Myungsoo smiled, nodding, though he truly did not want to rule. He did not want to be Mated to this man, kind as he was.

With a sound of sudden realization, he stood, his hand slipping out of Myungsoo's. He was glad for it. Chan crossed over to a table on the side of the room, to a table which housed a big wooden box atop it. The King popped it open, and from it he withdrew a beautiful silver chain with a small pendant at the end.

When he returned, he smiled. "May I?" Myungsoo nodded and stood, turning around, heart thundering as Chan threaded the necklace around his neck. It hung comfortably on his chest, the weight more reassuring than burdensome.

"It was my mother's," Chan said softly in his ear, hands slowly dropping from the nape of his neck, trailing gently down his back; Myungsoo shivered at the touch. "And now it is yours." Myungsoo turned to face him.

"Thank you, my King."

A/N: Tbh I love writing these flashback chapters, they're so much fun. And, ngl, Chan is the most realistic villain I have ever written, like damn. I understand him like I understand my love of coffee. He's more of an anti-hero, really.

Q: Do you eat food that's past its expiration date if it still smells and looks fine?

A: Hell NO I'm hella paranoid about that; I get it from my dad huff 

Lots o love,

~Junnie